Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center for Performing Arts

Rufus Wainwright – the vocalist, composer, and songwriter considered one of the greatest of his generation – will join the POPS orchestra on the Verizon Hall stage, under the baton of Music Director Michael Krajewski. The concert will contain highlights from his notable career, which have received critical and international acclaim.

Wainwright has said there’s “no better instrument than an orchestra to help illustrate” his music. The 65-piece orchestra will accompany Wainwright through his unique repertoire of pop, art-rock, classical, and opera – “genuine originality” as proclaimed by The New York Times.

The Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus has been invited to perform themed music to support the concert prior to the show on the Kimmel's Plaza Stage and will also be performing during the finale of the show.

VIP PACKAGE

VIP TICKET ($500 - Concerts + Reception)

VIP Packages include the best available seating at the performance.

Following the concert, the POPS will host a dessert reception and expected 'Meet & Greet' with Rufus Wainwright at The William Way LGBT Community Center, just a block away from the Kimmel Center. The event will feature another performance by the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus.

Proceeds from the reception will benefit The William Way LGBT Community Center, a community center that encourages, supports and advocates for the well-being and acceptance of sexual and gender minorities in the Greater Philadelphia region through service, recreational, educational and cultural programming.

Rufus Wainwright

Rufus Wainwright has released eight studio albums, three DVDs, and three live albums. He has collaborated with artists including Elton John, David Byrne, Boy George, Joni Mitchell, Pet Shop Boys and producer Mark Ronson amongst others. Wainwright has also distinguished himself by playing original orchestrated pop songs and pieces from an extensive classical repertoire with well-respected opera singers and orchestras around the world. His acclaimed first opera, Prima Donna, premiered at the Manchester International Festival in July 2009 and has since been presented in London, Toronto and BAM in New York. In 2010 Wainwright was commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony to compose and interpret “Five Shakespeare Sonnets,” a five-movement song cycle that sets Shakespeare’s “Sonnets” to orchestra and voice. They have since been performed worldwide by orchestras including the Chicago and Montreal Symphonies. The Canadian Opera Company commissioned Wainwright’s second opera, about Roman Emperor Hadrian, to premiere in Toronto in the fall of 2018.

Photographer Credit: Matthew Welch

Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus

The Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus entertains audiences, supports communities, and fosters acceptance through exceptional musical performance. First formed by a group of men Christmas caroling locally in 1981, the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus (PGMC) has grown to 140+ active chorus members, and has steadily increased its visibility within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community and among Philadelphia arts organizations. The season includes three main stage productions in December, March, and June. In addition, the Chorus performs at cabarets, fundraisers, and other community events throughout the year. The select ensemble Brotherly Love performs at other concerts and community outreach events throughout the year. PGMC’s repertoire includes a broad range of styles, including music from the 17th century to the present -- spirituals, sacred music, holiday tunes, love ballads, comic pieces, pop and rock songs, Broadway and Hollywood tunes, opera choruses, folk songs from around the world, the latest LGBT empowerment music and other commissioned LGBT works.